leavin' on a jet plane

Traveling a lot requires patience and some creativity. I like to people watch in airports and make up stories about where they're from. Sometimes I like to play the game of "Guess That Accent". Turns out, I'm quite terrible at that game. I'm also terrible at recreating accents. Australian, British, German, Japanese--they all sound the same coming out of my mouth.

Getting on the plane in Heathrow, I suddenly found myself submersed in kitschy British and Indian accents. And then I realized I finally had as shot at being the foreigner with an exotic accent.

I got a brief taste of being the foreigner with the exotic accent when I was living in Maine. Being from Texas, I was able to play the part of the sweet southern belle. They tittered at my use of phrases like "knee high to a cricket" or "slower than molasses". If only they heard my mother speak, they would know I was a poor substitute for a true southern drawl.

Stepping on the plane from London to Delhi, I had grandiose ideas of finally having an exotic accent. The flight attendant asked me if I would like a spot of tea, or if I had rubbish to dispose of. My neighbor inquired if I was enjoying my chocolate biscuit. Such wonderful words--rubbish! biscuit! 

Alas, as the flight bore on, I realized I am virtually devoid of quaint words. Bloody hell! Instead, I am full of nonsense words like "y'all" and "fixin' to". Dreams dashed, I suppose I can settle for being the foreigner with the strange accent.